Sunday, January 22, 2006

I've packed my bags and I'm ready to go

So I've spent most of the day getting ready for my 16-hour shift as a deputy returning officer during the election tomorrow.

I feel like I'm packing to go on a camping trip. We're not allowed to leave the polling station once we get there so we have to bring all the food, drink and entertainment we need to keep us going from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

I've got enough supplies in my backpack to last a week in the mountains:

- Two vegetable samosas
- Three bananas
- One large bag of Spicy Doritos
- A dozen gingersnap cookies
- Two sandwiches (turkey breast, brie, lettuce, sundried tomato and basil homus)
- One large bar of dark chocolate
- One litre of water
- A thermos of hot tea
- A tub of cold pasta salad
- Reading materials, including a little Mordecai Richler, some Haruki Murakami, and the latest issue of Vanity Fair
- My CD walkman
- A pillow to sit on in case the chair is hard
- An extra sweater in case it's cold
- A t-shirt in case it's hot
- My EpiPen and some Benadryl
- Some Advil in case I get a headache
- Cash and ID in case I meet some cool peeps that invite me out for drinks after the votes are counted

I haven't even figured out what I'm going to wear. Sexy, conservative or comfortable? Hair up or down? Argh! So many things to do before I sleep. Not to mention the fact that I have to study the training manual to make sure I don't screw anything up tomorrow.

It's going to be a very long, but very exciting day.

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